Kathmandu, February 17
Naga Babas and other sadhus who arrived at Pashupatinath for Mahashivaratri will be bid farewell today with offerings and dakshina (monetary donations). It has been a tradition for the Guthi Sansthan and the Pashupati Area Development Trust to bid farewell to the sadhus on Falgun Krishna Aunsi, after they arrive on Falgun Krishna Ekadashi for the festival.
According to former Deputy Administrator of the Guthi Sansthan, Deepak Bahadur Pandey, who has coordinated the farewell of sadhus multiple times, the tradition began in 1831 BS after Jagat Jung, the eldest son of Jung Bahadur, established the Jagananda Prakasheshwor Guthi.
The Sansthan has allocated around Rs 3 million for the farewell. Red, blue, white, yellow, and green cards were distributed to Naga Babas and other sadhus on the day of their arrival for dakshina. Dakshina will be provided according to their level, Pandey said. The Sansthan has also increased the amount for Naga Babas and sadhus who have come from outside Nepal to help them reach the nearest border.
More than 4,000 sadhus from outside Nepal are currently staying at Gorakhnath Math in Pashupati, Ramchandra Temple across Aryaghat, Bhasmeshwar Akhada, Nirmala Akhada, and various other locations within the Pashupati premises. Different sects of sadhus are staying at each site, according to Shridhar Sapkota, Treasurer of the Pashupati Area Development Trust.
“In the past, Naga Babas and sadhus were fed at Pashupati and then bid farewell with dakshina from Kalamochan Ghat in Thapathali. Since those killed in the Kot Massacre were cremated at Kalamochan Ghat, it was believed that bidding farewell to a large number of sadhus from there during Shivaratri would bring peace to the departed souls. That tradition has now been discontinued. Currently, Naga Babas and sadhus are bid farewell from the western main gate of Pashupati,” he said.
Similarly, Naga Babas and sadhus staying at the Bairagi Akhada, Udasi Akhada, Sanyasi Akhada, and Nath Akhada at Kalamochan Ghat in Thapathali for Mahashivaratri will also be bid farewell today with donations, the Sansthan stated. They will be sent off from Kalamochan Ghat.
After the implementation of the Transparent Offerings and Worship Management Regulation at Pashupatinath Temple on Chaitra 26, 2068 BS, the Pashupati Area Development Trust began providing dakshina and meals to Naga Babas and sadhus from Mahashivaratri 2069 BS onward.
“The Trust has prepared to provide dakshina ranging from Rs 5,001 to Rs 101,” said Shila Pant, member of the Trust’s Board and coordinator of the Sadhus Service and Religious Program Management Subcommittee. “The Trust will provide Rs 5,001 to 20 sadhus; Rs 1,001 to 200 sadhus; Rs 701 to 1,000 sadhus; Rs 501 to 1,000 sadhus; Rs 301 to 1,300 sadhus; Rs 201 to all jogis; and Rs 101 to all those sitting in line.”
She informed that the Trust has allocated Rs 800,000 for dakshina. The Trust is also preparing to bid farewell to the sadhus by offering them rudraksha beads collected at Pashupatinath throughout the year, along with the donations.
Deputy Administrator Pandey said that 50,000 kilograms of firewood worth Rs 700,000 have been purchased to keep the sacred fires (dhuni) burning for five days inside the Pashupatinath Temple and four days outside during Mahashivaratri.
The Trust also stated that since the offerings were made transparent and deposited in the Trust’s donation boxes from 26 Chait 2068 BS, a total of Rs 150 million has been collected so far, to establish Pashupatinath Temple as a model temple in Nepal.
